Mommy Ginger
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How to Manage Finances As a Couple

We recently shared this video on how we, Team Arbo, manage our Finances as a couple.

Sharing the transcript of the video:

Hi everyone! I’m Ginger and I’m the vlogger behind this channel. Today, I pulled in my husband to help me answer a question that I’ve always been asked: how do we handle our finances as a couple? 

Just to put things into perspective, we have been married for 12 years, we both just turned 41, and we have two young daughters, both under 10 years old. One is actually still a baby. We also both founded a tech startup business with 2 other people. We were not born rich and what we have now all came from working in the corporate world, from running a business, and also from a LOT of side hustles. We’re a middle income family trying to make everything work so that we can enjoy retirement later on.

So let’s get to it: how DO we handle our finances as a couple?

QUESTION #1: So what’s our money system?

Ginger: We have 2 joint accounts: one passbook and another with an atm card. The passbook one we use for our savings and the inconvenience of moving money out of that account is a feature. The atm card is more for our “operating expenses.” I also have 1 checking account for my business. We also have 1 “in trust account” for our eldest daughter. I have 2 non-joint accounts in Unionbank (an EON Cyber account) and an ING account. EJ also has the same with ING and Unionbank.

So moving on to our system, I guess we should share our different sources of income.

So we both have our salary from our business which individually goes to our UnionBank accounts. Then I have my earnings from blogging and from her events business. EJ also has some speaking engagements and consulting gigs that he earns from, those go to his personal account as well. For everything that we earn or spend, we log everything into a shared google sheets that we turned into a Google Form. We used to have apps where we track income and expenses, but ended up using Google forms since the pandemic started because the flexibility of a spreadsheet is just unmatched.

EJ: So when it comes to expenses, Ginger and I have assigned expense items. This setup just works for us. As for savings and investment, we have what we call sinking funds for these. A sinking fund is basically a way of setting aside a little bit of money each month for bigger expenses or balloon payments later. In our case, we use it for big expenses like our daughter’s tuition fee – it’s due twice a year so we set aside a certain amount every month so when the due date comes, we have the cash. We also do it visually, with simple boxes which we color each month so it’s encouraging and empowering to see that we’re building up funds slowly for that.

QUESTION #2: Do we fight about finances? 

EJ: I don’t recall any time when we fought about money. Not to say that we don’t worry about it though – instead what happens is that, somehow, we’ve never worried about finances at the same time. Usually one of us gets stressed and the non-stressed person tries to pacify the worried person. And then other times, that role reverses.

Ginger: We are always transparent though and we always talk to each other about our finances. We share not only our concerns or worries but we also share new things that we have discovered like investment strategies, or new ways of handling money. We’re both open to learning new things when it comes to handling our finances.

EJ: I have to say that before getting married, we did talk about money and how we both view finances. Like if Ginger starts bringing in more money than me, how will that impact our relationship? (hint: it doesn’t) Big questions like that. We made sure to talk about these things as part of this pre-wedding Discovery Weekend that we attended. If you’re getting married – we highly recommend attending that.

QUESTION #3: What are your investments?

Ginger: As of December 2022: 70% of our investments are in mutual funds and VULs (Variable universal life insurance), 14.70% are in Stocks, and 6.30% are in Cryptocurrencies and NFTs. We set aside money for investment after we‘ve placed money into our sinking funds.

QUESTION #4: Advice that you can give other couples?

EJ: You should be aligned on how you both view money. What is money to you? How important is it to your relationship? When you’re all out, are you willing to get from family? How do you both think about that? Big questions like that. If there are any other couples out there what other big money question should you both answer? Share those questions in the comments!

On a more regular basis, Ginger and I also have family planning sessions every year to align what our financial priorities are for the year. That way, we’re on the same page on our goals and if there are any new realizations, we also share them with each other so we help each other get better as well when it comes to handling money.

Ginger: Know your partner intimately when it comes to handling money. As you’ve noticed, we are in sync when it comes to planning but we both maintain our own separate accounts. We found that this kind of system works for us since we both know that each one is responsible when it comes to handling our own money. You have to be open to talking to your partner about your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to handling money.

That’s it for today. We hope that this has helped couples who are watching this in managing their own money. We actually enjoyed recording this episode, so we hope you enjoyed watching it! We’ll be doing some more of these kinds of topics that can help couples with their journey to financial freedom.

If you would like more videos like this one, please hit like, share and click on the notification bell to be notified when we release another video like this. Feel free to let us know in the comment section what other topics you’d want us to talk about!

5 Safe Home Remedies For Coughs and Colds

This new year is anticipated by many wishing for a safer, healthier, and more fruitful year for themselves and their loved ones. However, as the year began, COVID-19 symptoms swept the country and infected households one by one. Many isolated themselves and relied on medication and home remedies to curb their symptoms and speed their recovery.

With COVID-19 and its new variants still present, it is crucial to keep our households clean and sanitized to reduce the growth and spread of all sorts of disease-causing viruses. And if we have loved ones who are recovering from symptoms, here are five safe home remedies that may help them cure their colds and coughs faster:

Honey

Honey isn’t just great as an affordable substitute for sugar for those on a diet or who need to regulate their sugar levels. It adds flavor to hot teas and fruit juices while also helping suppress coughs in both adults and children. In a study quoted by Mayo Clinic, children aged 1 to 5 with infections in their upper respiratory tracts were given two teaspoons of honey before bedtime. The children had reduced coughing and improved sleep after days of taking honey.

Another study found that honey is as effective as dextromethorphan, an ingredient of many common cough suppressants. From a house for rent in Pasay, there are several grocery stores and convenience stores where families can easily purchase honey and add it to their home remedies.

Mint

The chilly and refreshing flavor of mint is perfect for any hot, sunny day. Menthol and peppermint extracts are excellent for decongesting stuffy noses and soothing sore throats. That said, drinking mint tea and adding a few drops of peppermint oil to water to make vapor steam are two effective ways to use mint as a remedy for coughs and colds.

The healing properties of mint, menthol, and peppermint also help people function better during the day. Think of this home remedy similar to the decongesting of Metro Manila traffic through the building of the Mega Manila Subway. According to the latest Lamudi trend report, this project will cut travel time from Quezon City to Taguig from 1.5 hours to a mere 30 minutes. With traffic jams reduced, future residents of a house for rent in Cubao or a townhouse for sale in Makati may access different shops that sell mint.

Chicken Soup

Chicken soup is a perfect comfort dish during colder seasons. Besides being delicious and hearty, chicken soup is a staple home remedy for colds and coughs. You can try different recipes to create the best chicken soup to help you cure faster. Add thyme, ginger, carrots, potatoes, broccoli, and rosemary to your soup. You can also experiment with different herb and vegetable combinations for more nutrients and exciting flavors.

Chicken soup is a light meal that nourishes you. You’ll feel full and hydrated while soothing your sore throat and decongesting your nasal passages.

Pears

In Chinese medicine, pears are hailed as a natural remedy for coughs. In addition, pears have properties such as clearing phlegm from the respiratory tract and moistening the throat and nasal passage. 

A traditional method of using pears as a home remedy is turning them into a paste and mixing it with teas and soups. You can add honey and lemon for your natural cough and cold medication for more flavor and nutrients.

Salt with Water

Saltwater is an excellent home remedy for soothing canker sores (singaw) and sore throats. Simply mix ¼ to ½ tablespoons of salt in a glass of warm water. Gargle the salt water mixture to alleviate a scratchy throat. Gargling salt water is also shown to reduce symptoms of the common cold and the growth of infections that may lead to coughs and flu.

These five remedies are just some of the most affordable and accessible ingredients helpful in relieving symptoms and preventing them from getting worse. Check your kitchen for these items and maximize their healing properties to cure your coughs and colds while staying safe at home.

SOURCES:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/in-depth/cold-remedies/art-20046403

https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/12-tips-prevent-colds-flu-1

https://www.everydayhealth.com/cold-and-flu-pictures/home-remedies-for-cough-1028.aspx

https://www.healthline.com/health/allergies/best-natural-cough-remedies

Pear Soup for Lung Health

One Word for 2022

I’m finally posting my one word for 2022 article! I usually post my one word article on the first week of January, but this year made it seem impossible to be productive during this first week. I’ve been reading a lot of posts of family, friends and random people sharing that either they have COVID or people that they know have COVID. In our case, our house helper went on vacation and was supposed to come back this second week of January. During her quarantine period though (we asked her to isolate herself first in a different place), she found out she had COVID.

Zeeka also had fever last Friday, which led us to think if she may have contacted the virus during one of our get – togethers with family. She’s better today so we’re 80% sure that it’s probably not COVID. Although, we will still have her tested this Wednesday (that’s the earliest schedule we could get) for us to know if we still need to continue isolating her and daddy from me and the baby.

So about my one word for 2022, I was thinking long and hard of what that word may be for this year. This first week of January might have inspired me to choose this word.

My one word for 2022 is tenacity.

To tell you honestly, I really felt like a slacker in 2021. 2020 was all go-go-go and rah-rah-rah for me. Last year was a bit of a challenge.

Yes, I could blame the fact that for the first quarter of last year, I was so nauseous because of the pregnancy that I could hardly do anything. I could also blame the fact that during the last trimester, I was having a hard time moving because of the weight. BUT, I now that I could have done better. I know that I was excusing myself from achieving things because I was pregnant. My husband would definitely argue though and say that “making a human inside my belly” is a great thing! 🙂

But this 2022 though, I am bent on making things happen. Tenacity is the quality of being very determined and I am that now. It’s also the fact of continuing to exist. I really want to make my presence felt this year though the work that I do.

I am so excited for the things that I have planned for 2022 for my work in Taxumo, for my relationship with my kids and husband, for Manila Workshops and for my career as a content creator.

I know that 2022 will be a great year even if we had a rocky start!

How about you? What is your one word for 2022?

Check out my past one words… (I started writing my one word yearly since 2015)

One Word for 2021: RESET
My One Word for 2020 – Commit!

Tips For Coping With Postpartum Depression

My family and friends were not aware of this, but I had Postpartum depression after giving birth to Yani. I would cry for no reason at all. I was thinking though that it might be my hormones acting up.

Having a baby is a time filled with a lot of emotions. You can feel anything from joy to sadness, all in one day. If your feelings of sadness become too severe, you could be experiencing postpartum depression. 

Symptoms of PPD usually start within a few weeks of having your baby, although they can develop up to six months afterward. They can include mood swings, trouble bonding with your baby, and difficulty thinking. 

Image – free for commercial use

If you are depressed, you’re not alone. The mos effective way to diagnose and treat PPD is to visit your doctor, who can advise the best mix of therapy and medication to help. There are also things you can do at home to help you cope. 

If you have lost your baby, this experience is very different to PPD, and you should seek more specialist support, and find helpful ways to remember your child, like children and baby funeral urns. 

Exercise When You Can

Exercise can have an antidepressant effect on women with PPD. Walking with your baby in the stroller is an easy way to get some fresh air and get some gentle exercise in. Walking can be a significant way to ease your symptoms of depression. 

If you can’t fit in a long exercise session, you can try just working out for ten minutes a few times on the same day. There are lots of short, simple workouts that you can do without any equipment.

Maintain A Healthy Diet

Healthy eating alone won’t cure depression, but eating nutritious foods can help you to feel better and give your body what it needs. Plan your meals for the week at the weekend and prepare what you can in advance. Whole foods, like chopped carrots or apple slices and peanut butter, are easy on the go. 

Create Time For Yourself

You might feel overwhelmed by juggling caring for your baby, work, household responsibilities, and caring for older children. Ask for help. Accept offers of babysitting. Make sure your partner is pulling their weight. 

Schedule some time for yourself once a week. You might not be able to get out for long, but use this time to decompress. Have a nap, do a yoga class, or go to the movies. 

Make Time To Rest

You will probably have been told to sleep when the baby sleeps. This advice can get annoying to be told after a while, but it is helpful if you can manage it. Women who are able to get more sleep are less likely to experience symptoms of depression. Make time for yourself to rest. Grabbing some naps when your baby is sleeping can help with this. 

In the early days, it’s likely that your baby isn’t sleeping through the night yet. Take naps and go to bed early. If you’re breastfeeding, pump a bottle before bed so your partner can take on some of the night feeds instead of you having to be the one who gets up every time.